The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-03
CAT ISLAND SENSATION.
ACCOUNT OF THE TROUBLE VERY
MUCH EXAGGERATED.
No White Ladies Were Assaulted, and
the ARRAY Was Confined to the
Prlncipals-No General Fight Took
Place.

AdCt.
The accounts published in morning
paper and in the afternoon journals, say
ing that there had been an awful fight be-
tween whites and blacks at Cat island,
small island twenty-five miles below this
city, prove to be purely sensational. The
reports, as published, went on to state that
. several white ladies had been insulted by
negroes; that their husbands had been in
formed OF the fact, and that they had
taken the law in theirown hands, swooped
down upon the negroes and killed two OF
them, while others were wounded. The
report went on further and said that the
negroes armed themselves to the teeth, us
1t were, and threatened TO kill every white
person on the island, making good this
threat by firing upon two white men, fore
ing them to take TO the river, cross it and
seek shelter by coming TO this city.
In order to ascertain the truth or falsity
of these reports, an APPEAL reporter was
yesterday detailed to investigate the mat
ter Going aboard the steamer Rene Mac
ready, which plies in the short trade below
here and touches at Cat island every day,
the reporter encountered Capt. o. X. Jop-
lin. In answer TO a question, the captain
stated that he had heard OF some little
trouble on the island, and when his boat
backed out at o'clock yesterday every
thing was quiet and peaceable, and there
were no signs of riot, nor were any per-
Sons armed so far rs he could see. Going
down the river Thursday night, while ~
ing at Scanlan's, five miles above the
as ,nI x.t,th taK.
rifles and shotguns boarded the boat and,
without permission, searched the steamer,
stating only that they were Cooking lor
man"
Capt Joplin said that several passengers
came up on his boat from the island, and
pointed out one OF them, who proved TO be
n cololcd man named Dave Williams. lie
is an old resident on the island, and
respectable looking and rather intelligent
negro. lie answered all questions readily
and intclligently. Williams gave very
clear account OF the trouble, and as his
Statement is corrobomtcd by others, ii is
undoubtedly the correct one.
He said that on Wednesday morning
last, at Gmy's bayou, which il on the
Mississippi river, half way between Cat
island and Scanlan's landing, a white man
named Schoolfeld assaulted negro,
whose name he did not know, and gave
him severe beating. The negro walked
TO the island, and going before Squire
Henley, the colored magistrate, swore out
warrant charging Scheduled with
assault with intent 10 kill The
warrant was placed in the hands of
Constable John Woodfne, who is a
colorcd man. lie summoned a posse of
nine men, all colored, and proceeded TO
Gray's bayou, where he found Schooliield
and placed him under arrest. The latter
did not care to 20, and was allowed TO put
mp forfeit OF Sl5 for his appearance be-
fore Squire Henley mt o'clock Thursday
morning. The constable and posse re-
turned TO the island. Bright and carly
Thursday morning School6cld, accom-
panied by iourwhte men and two negroes,
all armed with rifles and shotgun made
his appearance near the magistrates resi-
dence, where the trial was TO take place.
About . O'Clock WOodfine, the constable,
walked up TO the place, and was imnedi-
ately set upon by the men. After beating
him they forced him TO give up the forfeit
money, when he was released. lie beat a
hasty retreat and was shot at several times,
bu, Il is thought was not hit. Schoolfeld
and his men then went into n field near
by, where negroes were picking cotton,
and, finding the man whom School
field assaulted at Gray's bayou, and
who had sworn out the warrant causing
Schooliields arrest, again assaulted him
and beat him about the head. BY this
time the negroes, who were busily engaged
ut work in the fields picking cotton and
hauling corn, became thoroughly aroused
over the brutality shown one Of their
number. They ran 10 their cabins, armed
themselves and returned TO the scene, but
when they arrived the crowd from the
bayou WIS well on the road toward home.
There was great deal Of excitement for
awhile. but nobody was killed and nobody
was shot, though Il Is reported that white
man named Connors shot negro in the
leg The negro who was beaten bySchool.
field has been picking cotton for Mr..
Watson, who owns large plantation on
The island. When Williams left the island
lat 4 o'clock Yesterday morning., lac said
that so far rs he could see nobody was
armed and no doors were barricaded. liz
said that SchoOldeld knew the names OF
every one OF the posse, and that he stated
he only wanted those men and the con-
stable. and also the negro who sworc out
the warrant.
W. 4. Crawford, colored minister, r..
siding nj Frank Barton's iarn, near Ma
rion, in Crittenden county, Ark, was alsC
seen by 1HK APPEAL lie stated that lac
was ri Cat island Thursday, and that IN,
accounts rs published in a morning and
the afternoon papers, as 10 the trouble
there, was sensational, 10 say the least
He conoboraied Williams statement, and
said that the colorcd people arc peaceful
disturbing no one, and, further than that
no lady on Cat island has been insulted by
any one. In this he IL borne outby Capt
Joplin who says that the people on the
island are quiet and peaceable, and, so fai
NJ lac knew, no ladies had been insulted
Had anything OF the kind occurred h,
would have heard Of Il, as he brought up
number Of people from the island, and HI